


And the Stars Are Watching Me

by Masu_Trout



Category: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Genre: Bittersweet, Canonical Character Death, Doomed Timelines, F/F, Last Kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-20
Updated: 2018-02-20
Packaged: 2019-03-17 16:53:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13663263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Masu_Trout/pseuds/Masu_Trout
Summary: “What if I wished for the stars?” Madoka asked, late one night on the roof of Mitakihara Middle School.This is not Homura's time to succeed.





	And the Stars Are Watching Me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rubylily](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rubylily/gifts).



> Happy Chocobox! I hope this hits the right note of bittersweet for you.

“What if I wished for the stars?” Madoka asked, late one night on the roof of Mitakihara Middle School. She had her head tilted back, staring up at the sky above her with a wistful sort of look on her face. “What if I wished we could just leave here, and—and see all the rest of the planets out there, explore forever without ever seeing any witches ever again?”

“We'd die,” Homura said. She was watching Madoka, trying to memorize every last detail of the way she looked illuminated by only the distant lights of the city below them. “Without any witches, our gems would corrupt.”

“Oh. Right.” Madoka slumped down, smile sliding off her face. “Right. And then we'd just bring witchiness to a whole new planet and make everything worse.”

“Mm.” Homura nodded. “…Still, it's a nice thought.”

“Isn't it? I'd love to go exploring with you. Someday, okay? Hold the next me you meet to it—tell her I _promised_.”

The stars were disappearing now, inch by inch, being covered by a thick bank of roiling stormclouds. From the horizon came the distant sound of a carnival: clattering footsteps and out-of-tune bells and, over it all, a shrieking hysterical laugh.

Not much time left. Not that it mattered. She'd already ruined this timeline too badly to ever hope for victory.

Homura stood, listening for the click as her shield's timer readied itself.

“You're going?”

“Yes.” For all she'd promised herself she wouldn't feel anything (this time she'd be a true soldier. No, this time. _This_ time), guilt was pressing in on her like a vice.

She hadn't tried. Or, rather, she'd tried too early, too bold, and now she was going to leave this Madoka— _her_ Madoka, because every one of them was hers whether they remembered her or not—to die just so she could avoid an unbalanced fight. The Homura of a dozen loops ago never would have sunk to this.

“All right.” Madoka leapt up from her spot on the rooftop bench and—before Homura could react—pulled her into a tight hug. “Be careful, okay? It was… it was nice meeting you.”

“Yes,” Homura said. She wasn't going to cry. She _wasn't_.

Madoka gave her one last squeeze and then, quick as could be, reached up to brush her lips against Homura's cheek. Her hair was a halo around her face, bright against the looming darkness. Her eyes were half-closed. She wasn't crying.

“Madoka,” Homura said. “I…”

The shield stuttered and clicked as time froze.

Her magic swelled, warping the air—

The arms around her twisted, faded, became faint and distant sensations—

Lights flashed in front of her and round her and inside her—

Homura woke up.

Her body ached. It always did, in these first few moments before she poured magic into this frailer version of herself. The cold white ceiling was a blurry oval above her, made indistinct by her weak vision.

Her eyes were wet, but she wasn't crying. 

_Not yet,_ she thought, _not yet, not yet, not yet._ She could feel Madoka's lips pressed against her still. The warmth there didn't seem like it would ever fade.

She wouldn't give in just yet. Not when she still owed Madoka a chance to see the stars.


End file.
